This invention relates to carbon-carbon composite materials, particularly reinforced carbon-carbon composites for reentry vehicle nosetips.
Recent advances in the field of aerospace technology have created a need for high-strength, temperature-resistant materials that possess the necessary properties needed to protect reentry vehicles from the severe thermomechanical stresses encountered within the reentry environment. A wide range of reinforced, three-directional composite structures are now available. These composites generally consist of graphite fiber reinforcement which is oriented in at least three directions and a graphitic matrix. The simplest of these structures is the three-directional (3D) structure which has reinforcing elements which are mutually orthogonal. The most complex is a thirteen-directional (13D) structure. The 3D structure can be constructed by piercing perpendicular to a stack of parallel woven fabrics, or by orthogonal weaving. These carbon-carbon composites provide excellent ablation performance with acceptable thermostructural properties, but at high cost. What is desired is a composite structure which provides ablation peformance and thermostructural response at least equal to the composite structures provided heretofore, and which is lower in cost than the current structures.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved carbon-carbon composite structure.
Another object is to provide a method for fabricating an improved carbon-carbon nosetip preform for a reentry vehicle.
A further object is to provide an apparatus for fabricating an improved nosetip preform.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.